Easel



March 3, 1936 A. c. FRIEDRICH-i5 EASEL Filed July 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENTOR; flrf/ ur C. fi/edr/c/u BY M W ATTORNEY.

EASEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18, 1935 INVENTOR. Arifiul' 6. fi/ear/cbs BYM ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE EASEL Arthur C. Friedrichs, New York, N. Y.

Application July 18, 1935, Serial No. 31,997

3 Claims.

This invention relates to easels and has for one of its objects the provision of such a device which may be readily disassembled and folded up to occupy a minimum amount of space for shipping and storing purposes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an easel provided with a shiftable weight at the base thereof, so that the said weight may be moved or adjusted to prevent tipping over of the easel when same is erect, or is tilted slightly forward.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an artists easel having an adjustably mounted tray on which a canvas frame may be supported and held in position, and means for securing the said tray and maintaining same in adjusted position.

Another object is to produce a device of the character described in which the maximum simplicity of construction and operation is secured.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and co-relation of parts herein fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then finally pointed out and specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present invention concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention is not to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and the latter, therefore, is to be understood from an illustrative, rather than a restrictive standpoint.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of my improved easel;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental front view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental perspective view of the main supporting foot shown in Fig. 3, and.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the said easel in folded up position ready for packing.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings in detail, ID indicates an artists tiltable and foldable easel, comprising a main supporting rail or foot II, to which are secured a pair of spaced 55 apart upright braGkets l2, each provided with a tongue I3, which tongues fit into grooves l4, in the side edges of an upright bar IS. The aforementioned construction provides means for removably maintaining the upright bar l5 between the tongue or slide-carrying brackets l2. Secured 5 to the lower rear end of the said bar is one end of a hinge [6, the opposite end of which is secured to an auxiliary supporting rail or foot l1, disposed at right angles to the main foot ll. One end of a hinge I8 is secured to the rear of the 10 foot ll, the opposite end of the said hinge being secured to the bottom of a rear bar I9, which is provided at the top thereof with a hinge 20 which is also secured to a short cross bar 2|, provided with slides 22 which extend into and are slid- 15 ably maintained in the grooves l4. The said cross bar 2| may be maintained in adjusted position by means of a thumb screw 23.

The front of the bar [5 is provided with a depression or groove 25 in which there is secured a 20 toothed rack bar 26. A tray 21 is slidingly mounted on the bar I5 by means of slides 28 which extend into the grooves I4 and by means of a spring pressed plunger 29, one end of which is adapted to engage the teeth of the rack bar 26. 25 By pulling on the front or finger piece 30 of the plunger 29, the same may be disengaged from the rack bar 26 and the tray may be moved up or down as desired. No detail construction of the plunger 29 is shown as it may be of any well 30 known conventional form. A short cross bar 3| provided with slides 32 which enter the grooves i4 is releasably secured to the bar l5 above the tray 21 by means of a thumb screw 33. The said cross bar 3| may be provided at the bottom edge 35 thereof with pins 34, adapted to be forced into the canvas supporting frame 35 and held against movement or accidental displacement.

Slidably mounted on the auxiliary foot I! is a weight 36, which acts to prevent the easel from 40 toppling over when the front bar I5 is erect or tilted slightly forward. A screw 31 maintains the said weight in adjusted position. By loosening the screw 23 the rear cross bar 2| may be moved up or down, thus tilting the easel so that the bar 45 I5 will assume any desired angular position.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, I have shown a modified form of my invention wherein the front or main foot Ha is provided with a cut-out 40, wherein there are secured a pair of spaced apart slides or tongued members 4| which extend into the grooves I4 to slidably or removably maintain the bar I5 therein, the said bar in this instance being minus the rack 26, and the tray 26 is slidably mounted on the bar l5 and secured in adjusted position by a thumb screw 42.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the said form of my invention in disassembled position ready for shipping the parts being so arranged as to occupy the minimum of space.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be similarly disassembled and the parts arranged to make a neat and compact package for shipping. In shipping this form of the easel, the brackets l2 may be left on the foot I l or they may be removed by removing the securing screws S.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a tiltable artists easel which may be adjusted to assume any desired angular position and provided with means to prevent same from falling over when erect or leaning forward. It

7 will further be seen that the said easel may be readily disassembled and packed to form a neat and compact package for shipping or storing purposes.

' Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an easel, a front supporting foot, an upright bar readily removably maintained on the said foot, an auxiliary foot hingedly connected at one end thereof to the bottom of the upright bar, a cross bar slidable on the said bar, and a. rear bar hingedly connected to the opposite end of the auxiliary foot and to the cross bar.

2. In an easel, a front supporting foot, an upright bar readily removably maintained on the said foot, an auxiliary foot hingedly connected at one end thereof to the bottom of the upright bar, a weight slidable on the said auxiliary foot, a cross bar slidable on the said bar, and a rear bar hingedly connected to the opposite end of the auxiliary foot and to the cross bar.

3. In an easel, a supporting foot, a pair of spaced apart brackets on the said foot, a tongue on each of the said brackets, an upright bar having grooves at its side edges into which the tongues extend, a cross bar at the rear of the upright bar slidable in the grooves thereof, and a foldable means hingedly connected to the rear of the supporting.

foot and to the cross bar.

ARTHUR C. FRIEDRICHS. 

